Unverified missile claim follows blasts near Jebel Ali

A series of explosions and a fire near Dubai’s Jebel Ali industrial and port area early on Wednesday triggered claims that a missile had been launched towards the United Arab Emirates from Yemen, but no authoritative evidence had emerged to confirm an attack.
Accounts circulated by Iraqi and Iranian outlets said several blasts were heard within about 20 minutes and thick smoke was visible over the area. The reports linked the incident to a possible projectile fired from Yemeni territory amid the widening US-Iran war. UAE authorities had not issued a public statement identifying the cause of the explosions by midday on August 5.

The absence of an official explanation left the circumstances unclear. No verified casualty figures, damage assessment or evidence of an interception had been released. There was also no authenticated footage showing a missile, drone, air-defence activity or impact crater at the location.

Satellite-based thermal data cited in regional reports appeared to show a fire at or near a warehouse beside the port. The facility was described as being connected to fuel storage and transfer operations. Such imagery can identify heat sources but cannot, without further evidence, establish whether a blaze was caused by an attack, an industrial accident or another event.

Claims that Emirati officials had acknowledged seven explosions were also not supported by a publicly available statement from the government, Dubai Police, Dubai Civil Defence or the Ministry of Defence. Reports that two people had been detained for filming the fire remained unverified.

The location itself became a source of confusion. Some headlines described explosions in the UAE capital, which is Abu Dhabi, while the accompanying reports placed the incident at Jebel Ali in southern Dubai. The two emirates are separate, and Jebel Ali lies more than 100 kilometres from central Abu Dhabi.

Events in Yemen added to the speculation. Explosions were reported around Sanaa during the same period, with competing accounts describing either an air strike or missile launches. The Houthis had not produced verifiable evidence claiming responsibility for an attack on the UAE.

The group has expanded its military operations during the regional conflict. It has targeted shipping in the Red Sea and announced restrictions on Saudi-linked vessels passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Its military spokesman also claimed a drone strike against a sensitive target at Najran airport in Saudi Arabia, although supporting evidence was not immediately provided.

A commercial vessel sank off Yemen this week after being hit by an explosive-laden boat. Its crew, comprising 13 citizens of India and one Yemeni, was rescued. Another cargo ship was damaged by an unidentified projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, underlining the heightened danger to maritime traffic around the Arabian Peninsula.

The UAE has faced confirmed missile and drone attacks during the war. Its Ministry of Defence announced on February 28 that air-defence systems had intercepted Iranian ballistic missiles, with falling debris causing material damage in a residential area. Further waves of missiles and drones were intercepted in March and May.

Those previous incidents were accompanied by prompt official announcements explaining the sounds heard by residents and identifying air-defence operations. The lack of a comparable statement on Wednesday was therefore significant, although it did not by itself establish whether the Jebel Ali explosions resulted from an industrial incident or a security threat.

Jebel Ali is one of the world’s largest container ports and a crucial logistics centre linking Asia, Europe and Africa. Its surrounding industrial zone contains warehouses, manufacturing facilities, fuel-related infrastructure and extensive road and rail connections. Any disruption there could affect supply chains and regional trade, making accurate identification of the incident particularly important.

A separate explosion in Dubai earlier this week was confirmed as an industrial accident. A gas cylinder exploded at a car showroom on Sheikh Zayed Road on Monday evening, killing 27-year-old Shijin Paul and injuring others. That incident occurred at a different location and there was no established connection to Wednesday’s reports.